Gambia-l,
The following is a declaration by human rights organisations in the Gambia on
the student demo. There is also the GPU press release. Culled from the
Observer.
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After consultations with human rights organisations and activists in The
Gambia, we the undersigned human rights organisations, wish to issue the
following statements:
Following the events of 10th April 2000 in which students from the Greater
Banjul Area were to begin a supposedly peaceful demonstration in order to
protest what they considered the slow pace of justice in prosecuting some fire
officers from Brikama, who allegedly caused the death of a student by the name
of Ebrima Barry and in a separate incident the alleged rape of a 13-year-old
student from Brikama-ba by a man wearing a paramilitary mufti, the student
demonstrations turned nasty as security forces tried to stop them from
demonstrating. In the ensuing confrontation, a number of students, a journalist
and Red Cross volunteer were allegedly shot and killed at point blank range by
the security forces. Also, many were said to have suffered gunshot wounds. The
students went on the rampage and destroyed public property and burnt some
vehicles belonging to the Government.
Although the coalition condemns any and all forms of violence used by the
students to achieve their aims and objectives, the coalition equally condemns
the use of unprecedented violence by the security forces in dealing with the
students.
(a) The students have an inalienable and an entrenched right under the 1997
Constitution at Section 25(d) to "freedom to assemble and demonstrate peaceably
and without arms."
(b) These same rights are echoed and guaranteed under the African Charter and
under the United Nations' International Convention on Civil and
Political Rights.
Although the security forces have a role to play in maintaining the peace and
security of the nation and in defending the territorial integrity of the
nation, the alleged shooting, killing and maiming of students cannot be
justified in any civilised society, especially one that professes to be
democratic. Such behaviour tantamounts to a gross violation of human rights.
The coalition is therefore appealing to the IGP, SoS for Interior, the SoS for
Education, the Army Commander, and all security agents to:
1 Desist from arbitrary arrest, detentions, and assaults.
2. Issue a statement clarifying what has happened.
3. Establish an independent commission of enquiry to look into the matter.
4. Prosecute those responsible for the killings.
5. Make all relevant information available to the public on those individuals
who are presently detained, and account for the students missing.
The coalition likewise calls on all the students concerned to desist from using
violence and the wanton destruction of property in achieving their aims and
objectives.
Emmanuel Joof - African Society of International & Comparative Law Mohammed
Lamin Sillah - Amnesty International, Gambia,
Sheikh ET Lewis - International Society for Human Rights, Gambia
Julia Harrington, Fatou Jagne, Dana Bennett - Institute for Human Rights and
Development
Amie Joof - Private legal practitioner.
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GPU PRESS RELEASE
The death on Monday of a young and promising journalist will certainly go down
as a dark stain in the history of the Second Republic.
Omar Barrow died when allegedly shot by a soldier as he stood inside the
compound of the Red Cross headquarters at Kanifing.
Barrow died while serving as a Red Cross volunteer called to duty by the
emergency. He has now paid the highest price with his life to a cause of
selfless service to humanity he strongly believed in.
His untimely death has shown the whole world the trigger-happy, gungho attitude
of our security forces in their unprofessional dealings with civilians and
unarmed students and journalists.
The Gambia Press Union condemns this dastardly, brutal act of members of the
security forces and calls on government to immediately set up a commission of
inquiry into the death of Omar Barrow and all those who lost their lives in the
disturbances.
The GPU further believes that the situation could have been better managed if
the authorities did not lose their heads by over-reacting.Editor's note: The
Senegalese media have condemned the death of Mr Barrow and called on the
authorities to bring the culprit to book.
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